Get up & Go Breakfast - Green Actuality - Elma Pollard: Recent Episodes
Cape Pulpit 729AM
Elma Pollard is the editor of the Green Times. The Green Times is a social enterprise focused on climate change and other environmental news with a particular focus on creative and constructive solutions. Every Wednesday morning, Elma directs our thinking to ensure we understand the urgency of effective stewardship, and she tells us how to maximize our combined efforts.
This International day is dedicated to promoting a zero-tolerance approach to plastic pollution and the importance of recycling and composting plastic waste.
Elma has walked the path of being Plastic Bag Free for over 30 years and shares her story as well as the history of the plastic packet as we know it, and the horror stories of plastic bag pollution.
A mass frog-dispersal event occurred somewhat unexpectedly on Monday evening of the 30th of January, during the rains, when tens of thousands of frogs crossed the R44 at Heartlands Precinct towards the dam at The Sanctuary Shopping Centre in Somerset West.
The incident resulted in thousands of frogs being squashed by passing traffic despite the efforts of a handful of concerned citizens who tried to save as many as they could.
Elma heads up Frog Friends and tells us what happened, and why...
Elma Pollard has shared airtime on Get Up and Go Breakfast for nearly 9 years. Her time with the Green Times has come to an end as she ends the online publication and she takes a break from Radio. We share a few memories, find out what will happen to The Green Times and what Elma is pursuing next.
A biennial consumer research study, driven by Two Sides, seeks to understand consumer perceptions towards print and paper products, looking specifically at environmental awareness, reading habits, and packaging preferences. The global survey questioned more than 10,000 consumers on their preferences and opinions regarding various packaging types, their attributes and their impact.
South African eco-justice activists joined the global movement Power Up for Climate Solutions to kick off a month (from 3 November to 9 December) of environmental and climate action in the lead up to COP28 outside Parliament on Friday.
A unique African-centric litter reduction campaign which is being piloted in South Africa will – once trialled and tested – be scaled and used throughout the continent.
According to marine conservation non-profit Sustainable Seas Trust (SST), its flagship litter-reduction campaign, Operation Clean Spot (OCS), aims to reduce land-based litter by up to 90% in some communities.
We are thrilled to announce the release of “Captain Fanplastic & the Black Mermaid,” a groundbreaking book that aims to educate readers about the pervasive issue of marine litter and emphasises our interconnectedness with the world’s oceans.
Elma takes a look at 2 stories on the Green Times that involve RECYCLING:
Clean-Up and Recycle SA Week was once again a huge success.
And
The Return The Favour recycling campaign is back
WWF South Africa is proud to announce its Believe in Better campaign, an inspiring call to action designed to ignite hope for a brighter, more sustainable future in our cherished nation.
The Water Tribunal says the Philippi Horticultural Area wetland ecosystem is irreplaceable and rejects Consol Glass/Keysource Minerals Water Use Licence to mine silica sand…for a second time.
This is another important milestone in the on-going struggle to protect the PHA foodland, the Cape Flats Aquifer in its soil both crucial for the city’s climate resilience.
The Sharks Foundation and Hands of Hope initiative has joined hands and hearts with SA Harvest, the national food rescue and hunger relief organisation, for a collaborative campaign to deliver essential food items to the underserved rural area of Zululand, Kwazulu/Natal
The efforts of the women fighting for environmental, energy and climate justice must be celebrated, and more proactive action should be encouraged.
Whether it is stopping a multi-trillion rand nuclear deal, litigating on behalf of farmers and mine workers or working at grassroots for women and indigenous group empowerment, the work of women in eco-justice never stops.
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child issued new guidance on Monday that calls for governments to take action to protect boys and girls in the face of the deepening climate crisis.
The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, and the National Air Quality Officer (NAQO), are being taken to court for granting steelmaker Arcelor Mittal South Africa (AMSA) permission to continue polluting the Vaal Triangle and surrounding areas with excessive amounts of Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S).
From scientists and sustainability managers to waste pickers and buy-back centre owners, women are boosting South Africa’s sustainability efforts – but more needs to be done to ensure equal representation.
Illegal snaring poses a serious threat to biodiversity in the Western Cape.
Snare Free is a creative conservation initiative conceived by the Cape Leopard Trust, CapeNature, Wildlife Forensic Academy and Kogelberg Biosphere to provide a coordinated response to snared wildlife incidents in the Western Cape, as well as to improve training, data collection, and awareness to combat the prevalence of snaring.
An inspiring Manifesto has been drafted by the Mpungose community of Eshowe, Northern KwaZulu-Natal, as a direct response to the devastating effects of climate change.
This significant statement of declarations and calls to action paves the way for community-driven responses to environmental matters that negatively impact the daily lives of many South Africans.
Leading conservation organisation WILDTRUST, together with multiple collaborators, has undertaken a ground-breaking study to address the pressing need for enhanced protection of sharks and rays in South Africa.
To allow it to utilise temporary repairs at its Kusile power station in Mpumalanga, Eskom has been granted permission to bypass the plant’s Flu Gas Desulphurization (FGD) equipment and emit unabated sulphur dioxide (SO2) and increased mercury emissions, potentially up until 31 March 2025.
Waterford Kamhlaba UWCSA, one of the first multi-racial schools in southern Africa, has placed sustainability at the core of its vision. As it celebrates 60 years of existence this year, the school is accelerating its sustainability efforts; already achieving some key milestones in this journey. Key projects already underway include water purification and harvesting, greywater recycling, a bio-digester, and a permaculture garden.
The UN’s 193 Member States adopted a landmark legally binding marine biodiversity agreement on Monday following nearly two decades of fierce negotiations over forging a common wave of conservation and sustainability in the high seas beyond national boundaries – covering two thirds of the planet’s oceans.
Elam looks at 2 stories this week as we heed the words of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who said countries must phase out coal and other fossil fuels to avert climate “catastrophe,” Then we look at one of the world’s best renewable energy tenders, South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) has paved the way for the private sector and Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to invest in the country’s renewable energy market.
When it comes to fighting for a sustainable future, the world’s cities are “critical battlegrounds” and more important than ever to making multilateralism work for all.
Recycling is one of the easiest ways that citizens can ‘Invest in our Planet’, the theme of this year’s global Earth Day, 22 April. Unfortunately, research by the CSIR indicates that only around 10% of urban households actually do so.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has today announced an ambitious goal to mobilise US$100 million to help safeguard the ocean and sustainable seafood supplies over the next decade. The announcement marks a significant expansion of the MSC’s Ocean Stewardship Fund, which aims to end overfishing.
Hydrogen is an energy carrier that can be used to generate electricity either indirectly by generating heat through combustion, or directly through an electrochemical process that takes place in a fuel cell. In both cases, water is the only by-product of the energy generation process. Hydrogen technology can help the country towards achieving net-zero carbon status by the 2050 target date. Elma shares more on this important and interesting topic.
Elma shares a headline story coming out of Bloekombos on 22 March, World Water Day, and the launch of Water in the Sky, a new initiative by the Save Our Schools Non-Profit Organisation (SOSNPO). The project, in partnership with the international organisation Xylem Watermark, is designed to implement long-term water sustainability through developing water infrastructure, starting water-wise vegetable gardens and creating employment.
Following months of deliberation, Stellenbosch Network has crowned Chuma Lalendle and Sbahle Mgijima as the winners of the fourth edition of the #IdeasForChange Challenge.
The two young innovators walked away with a R20 000 cash prize to support their ‘Smart Trolley Recycling’ idea.
With little more than 1 day until the deadline for public comment (16 March) on Eskom’s proposal to extend the functioning of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station – for an additional 20 years, until 2044 and 2045 for Units 1 and 2 respectively – civil society is calling for its closure in 2024 at the end of its lifespan. Concerns about the submission process not allowing for “meaningful and fully informed public comments” are being voiced.
Green Corridors recently announced the reopening of the Inanda Wilderness Park, a much-appreciated community focal point in Ward 44, at a small gathering of partners, community members and people representing local leadership, schools and the elderly.
Elma shares also how she has worked to make the green area near home a very special place for her and the community.
The Plastics Innovation and Circularity Challenge is a part of that movement for change. The Challenge, a joint venture of SOLVE@Waterfront; the UK-South Africa Tech Hub, an initiative of the UK Government; and Ocean Hub Africa, invited applications from enterprises working in the plastics circularity space.
The 40 entries were, through successive rounds of assessment, brought to a short list of five enterprises.
Wetlands provide a range of essential services, including water regulation, flood control, and habitat for biodiversity.
However, South African wetlands face threats from human activities such as pollution, urbanisation, agriculture, and water resource extraction.
It is crucial to raise awareness about the value of wetlands and the steps needed to protect them.
Elma Pollard is the editor of the Green Times. The Green Times is a social enterprise focused on climate change and other environmental news with a particular focus on creative and constructive solutions. Every Wednesday morning, Elma directs our thinking to ensure we understand the urgency of effective stewardship, and she tells us how to maximize our combined efforts.
The commitment of South African Plastics Pact members lead to 34.7 million fewer problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging items on the market in 2021. This and more was revealed in its latest annual report.
Africa is full of potential infrastructure project opportunities in the pipeline. There is a great need and availability of funding to be spent on the continent. We just need to fix that missing link and carry through projects to a financial close to finally close the infrastructure gap.
Elma shares her story of auditing her electricity usage and the steps she took to get Off Grid. She hopes her story will inspire us all to hear what is possible, and inspire us to all do something; even if it’s only 1 small change.
In the midst of the 16 Days of Activism campaign, small-scale fisherwomen from around the country not only have to deal with the gender-based violence issues that plague the women in the country, but they also have to fight to protect their livelihoods from the onslaught of proposed oil and gas projects.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced on Tuesday, the 2022 Champions of the Earth for their transformative action to prevent, halt or reverse ecosystem degradation. A conservationist, a sustainable waste management enterprise, an economist, a women’s rights activist, and a wildlife biologist were selected from nearly 2,200 nominations – a new submission record
The Green Times shares multiple stories this week on the back of a vitally important Cop27 Conference in Egypt. Elma gives us an overview that might leave us feeling quite hopeless, but she ends off reminding us how we can all be a part of the global solution.
The COPs are the biggest and most important annual climate-related conferences on the planet. This year’s UN Climate Conference takes place in Sharm el-Sheikh, against a backdrop of extreme weather events worldwide, an energy crisis propelled by the war in Ukraine, and scientific data reiterating that the world is not doing enough to tackle carbon emissions and protect the future of our planet.
While society understands the importance of recycling, many tend to turn a blind eye. This lack of recycling in South Africa inspired entrepreneur Luanda Madikizela to start a waste management business called Lundstar. Elma shares more on this uplifting story.
Sunday 16 October marked the global commemoration of World Food Day, the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) – a date that is focused on increasing awareness of world hunger and poverty and inspiring solutions for world change.
Elma Pollard is the editor of the Green Times. The Green Times is a social enterprise focused on climate change and other environmental news with a particular focus on creative and constructive solutions. Every Wednesday morning, Elma directs our thinking to ensure we understand the urgency of effective stewardship, and she tells us how to maximize our combined efforts.
On Saturday 17 September, 44 determined individuals united in a gruelling summit for a worthy cause. The Rhino Peak Challenge in the Southern Drakensberg – a 21km hike/run with over 1,300m of vertical climb – was their mission; and raising funds for rhinos, vultures, and cranes was their driving force.
The National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) aims to bring awareness to South Africans regarding the potential threat of a naturally occurring radioactive gas, called radon, to draw up a map of potential high and low risk areas in the country and to set action and mitigation levels to minimise risk. This was envisaged and initiated by the Centre for Nuclear Safety and Security.
The great words ‘Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are’ by Theodore Roosevelt run true for this year’s Stellenbosch Network #IdeasForChange Challenge winner and founder of Lilly Loompa Upcycled Homeware, Lizl Naudé. The Paarl-born entrepreneur turned an unfortunate situation into treasure when she started her business.
Calling creatives to act on the most pressing emergency facing humanity – the climate crisis. Climate Story Lab ZA invites Southern African creatives to submit innovative and imaginative projects for an opportunity to participate in a four-day residential lab near Cape Town in January 2023.
Young people’s mental health has seldom been more fragile. The latest Mental State of the World Report, the largest and most comprehensive global mental well-being study, drawing on 223 000 respondents in 34 countries, found ‘a profound generational decline in young people in every country.’ Nearly half had mental health issues in the ‘distressed’ or ‘struggling’ ranges. Fewer than one in five had ‘thriving’ or ‘succeeding’ scores.
Born from the idea, “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime”, founders Dom Johnson- Allen, Anna Lusty and Leila Blom are empowering women to sustain themselves through farming. Backyard Farms is an initiative that came from the global Covid-19 pandemic.
As the threat of famine looms in the Horn of Africa, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Friday that it is scaling up operations to support millions going hungry who “cannot wait” for assistance.The region is in the grip of a historic drought, brought on by four consecutive failed rains. The crisis has left some 22 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia struggling to find enough to eat, with numbers expected to rise.
On the 9th of August South Africa celebrates Women’s Day – part of a month dedicated to the strength and resilience of women and their contribution to society. The Green Times thought this a particularly fitting time to share a feature on our ‘Girls in Conservation’ programme and celebrate the group of girls who completed the programme this year. One of the Cape Leopard Trust Education project aims is to connect people, especially the youth, to nature and to instil an attitude of reverence and respect for the natural world.
The first step towards tackling the challenges of climate change is empowering women to safeguard the environment.
Women bear the brunt of climate change, but they are the world’s best bet in the fight for a clean, healthy, and sustainable planet.
“With 161 votes in favour, and eight abstentions*, the UN General Assembly adopted a historic resolution last week, declaring access to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, a universal human right.
The resolution, based on a similar text adopted last year by the UN Human Rights Council, calls upon States, international organisations, and business enterprises to scale up efforts to ensure a healthy environment for all.”
“The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment has released proposed regulations for onshore oil and gas exploration and production, including the use of hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) and these regulations have been met with great concern.”
Elma shares around the topic of Plastic Free July, from 2 of The Green Times’ Headline Stories: “Working towards a litter free world” and “V&A Waterfront strives for zero single-use plastics”
In South Africa, we are seeing environmental struggles being fought every day. Activists, communities, lawyers, school children and many others are fighting to protect the ecosystems that sustain us all.
Art has a key role to play in supporting and promoting conservation, particularly in Southern Africa.
This was the core premise of a thought-provoking event called “Art and Conservation – a Southern African Dialogue” held at the Alliance Française in Johannesburg on 15 June.
Over 100 fishermen headed out to sea off Cape Town recently to reel in some of the ocean’s greatest scourge – plastic. In recognition of World Ocean Day, 20 boats took part in Africa’s first Plastic Fishing Tournament, covering over 30-square kilometres of the Atlantic Ocean and retrieving 300kg of plastic debris within three hours.
Climate change and land-use change are projected to make wildfires more frequent and intense, with a global increase of extreme fires of up to 14 per cent by 2030, 30 per cent by the end of 2050 and 50 per cent by the end of the century, according to a new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and GRID-Arendal.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations says that wild meat possesses several added advantages over domesticated species in terms of range usage, physiological and ecological adaptations to the African environment, disease tolerance and productivity, crediting it among the healthiest meats available.
The Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer beetle poses a significant threat to what makes South Africa’s biodiversity unique. It could potentially be one of South Africa’s largest ecological tragedies
At the end of 2022, the Organic Waste Landfill Ban in the Western Cape will kick in requiring a 50% reduction in organic waste going to landfill. The Organics Recycling Association of South Africa is actively marketing the new requirements with regards to the management of organic waste to ensure valuable organic waste is saved from landfills.
On Earth Day, Friday 22 April, Fridays for Future in collaboration with EarthDay.org and Take Action Global demanded worldwide access to climate literacy and education programs to ensure a holistic understanding of the ongoing climate and biodiversity crisis and its underlying causes and consequences.
Elma shares on this Daily Maverick story that they featured on The Green Times' Facebook page.
Save Our Schools non-profit organisation (SOSNPO) launched an educational fundraising campaign at the V&A Waterfront, Wishing Well for Communities, in celebration of World Water Day on Tuesday.
Elma shares more on this headline story from the Green Times.
WWF South Africa and the University of Pretoria’s Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit are teaming up to support research on southern right whales which are facing a variety of new threats, not least the impact of a warming climate on their food supply.
Amidst blackouts, rampant electricity tariff hikes, and the mounting economic costs of air pollution, South Africa urgently needs to begin cutting its ties with fossil fuels and speed the transition to renewable energy to secure a better future for the country, says Alumo Energy Managing Director Rein Snoeck Henkemans.
Time is running out to protect nature — that is the clear message from the newly launched 30×30 NOW campaign, which aims to highlight the severity and urgency of the biodiversity crisis that South Africa and the world is facing and champion the global goal of protecting at least 30% of the world’s land and sea by 2030.
Proposed environmental regulation amendments will violate fundamental constitutional rights to public participation, affecting the poor and vulnerable communities disproportionately.
The wood used in eco-friendly wooden furniture is sourced from carefully grown and harvested trees from sustainably managed forests. Hence the Slumberland Ecolux Base is made by a company that uses Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified supplies.
As the original pioneers of forest certification, the FSC uses their expertise to promote and certify the responsible management of the world’s forests, bringing together experts from the environmental, economic and social spheres.
In 2018, on land and in space, preparations to deploy millions of antennas were very publicly being made and advertised, for “5G,” “Smart Cities,” and the “Internet of Things.” At the same time, and without any publicity, governments, research laboratories, and commercial and military interests were collaborating on plans to create “Smart Oceans” and the “Internet of Underwater Things” (IoUT). They did not consult the fishes, whales, dolphins, octopuses, and other inhabitants of those depths.
The SA law that’s supposed to protect us and the environment from agricultural chemicals was written in 1947!
Act 36 is unconstitutional, as it does not protect our constitutional rights.
A growing body of evidence internationally is suggesting that glyphosate, the active ingredient in some weedkillers, may be responsible for certain cancers.
Civil society movement We Are South Africans has begun the process to seek an interdict to stop Australian company Seismic Searcher from its 2D/3D seismic survey, planned to commence off the Western Cape coast on 15 January. Elma shares more on this story...
J.P. Morgan today announced its funding in support of The Nature Conservancy-led Greater Cape Town Water Fund (GCTWF) to remove invasive plants in priority source water areas in the Greater Cape Town region.
GCTWF brings together a diverse coalition of public and private sector partners to invest in watershed restoration activities that will yield the greatest benefit for nature and people.
As papers are being served on the Minister of Mineral Resources and the Director General of Petroleum Agency SA, and the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment by Interested and Affected Parties to suspend Shell’s seismic survey, nationwide protests along the coastline continue.
There is also a boycott of Shell in progress, the tally of over 300 000 signatures objecting to the seismic surveys keeps building, a major corporation (Discovery) has distanced itself from Shell and the country is uniting against harms done in the name of unneeded fossil fuels. It is safe to say the Oceans Not Oil movement is stepping up.
Climate and environmental justice groups cautiously welcome the $8.5 billion partnership announced at COP26, but demand transparency about the scope and conditions, and accountability by lenders, beneficiaries and the South African government.
The Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP) in collaboration with MES – Safe Space, GrowZA and Xylem yesterday officially opened Bellville’s urban food garden, known as the Life Changing Garden, with its first spring harvest now available to the community.
When it comes to our understanding of the unfolding global crisis, each of us seems to fit somewhere along a continuum of awareness that can be roughly divided into five stages. Elma talks us through these stages.
As COVID-19 threatens farming communities across Africa already struggling with climate change, the continent is at a crossroads. Will its people and their governments continue trying to replicate industrial farming models promoted by developed countries? Or will they move boldly into the uncertain future, embracing ecological agriculture?
Elma takes us through the joy and practical application of 'upcycling' things in our homes. From how we can turn an unwanted clothing item into something we want to wear again, to ways of minimising plastic use in the kitchen, by upcycling something from your clothes or linen cupboard!
Turning a passion for environmental conservation into a thriving and fulfilling career is the logical step for most budding eco warriors. This often amounts to pursuing careers focused on the preservation or restoration of the environment – or green jobs. Elma tells us more...
While news of the ‘completion’ of the Medupi power station has been met with both celebration and scepticism, women in Lephalale (in Limpopo) and surrounds, however, are filled with dread of having a pollution-intensive coal-fired power station in their backyard and running at full capacity. In addition to the obvious carbon emissions, Medupi will also emit other dangerous and life-threatening pollutants common for coal-fired plants – including sulphur dioxide, greenhouse gases, nitrogen oxides (NOx), to name a few – into the air.
In the first-ever virtual event of its kind on the continent, a youth driven marine group called Youth4MPAs in partnership with WILDOCEANS, and supported by World Surf League PURE, The Pew Charitable Trusts and Oceans 5 has launched an African Youth Summit focusing on unifying youth across Africa, engaging with global marine experts and amplifying their young voices to advocate for protection of its oceans.
Tissue donation refers to the generous donation of human tissue, which includes bone and other products created from human tissue, bestowed after death.
According to Bone SA, a registered non-profit organisation concerned with tissue products for medical use, one tissue donation can save or improve the lives of more than 65 people.
Elma also shares her own powerful story!
A global research study has revealed that food safety and sustainable packaging are major issues for society. More than two-thirds of respondents listed food safety as their top concern, just ahead of environmental sustainability.
With our increasing driving population, the demand for local tyres has grown. The South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC) and its members Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear and Sumitomo Rubber SA are leading the way in improving the industry’s impact on the environment
Life on earth is symbiotic; each component within the ecosystem plays a significant role. The decline of the bee population and its effect on food systems is a timely reminder of just how interconnected everything really is.
However, as urbanization, intensive farming and resource extraction increases, so we are witnessing the fragmentation of the environment even further. Our ecosystems are under pressure and this pressure will impact every living being on our planet, making this a perfect time to reflect on how and why we need to restore our ecosystems.
The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER)’s annual Environmental Rights and Remedies Course for environmental justice activists is a key component of CER’s activist support and training work.
Developed from demand from otheir community partners for rights training and building on existing initiatives like groundWork’s Environmental Justice School, the Rights & Remedies Course empowers participants from rural and urban areas who bear the environmental and socio-economic brunt of polluting industries operating close to their homes and places of work.
A ground-breaking trial that renders plastic bottles with self-adhesive labels fully recyclable promises positive spin-offs for the environment and plastic producers who have until November to comply with Section 18 of the National Environmental Management Waste Act.
Waste management and plastic recycling are significant challenges in South Africa and recent amendments to Section 18 of the National Environmental Management and Waste Act (NEMWA) regulations call for Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) to cooperate with municipalities to increase the recovery and recycling of identified products.
Saldanha Bay initiative links recycling to feeding scheme
In the Saldanha Bay Municipality there is a new initiative to encourage lower-income areas to participate more in recycling by feeding hungry children in return.
A really great story and Elma shares more...
A Global Methane Assessment released today by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) shows that human-caused methane emissions can be reduced by up to 45 per cent this decade.
Elma digs deeper into this story...
The South African Organic Sector Organisation (SAOSO) in collaboration with Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) South Africa (SA) has launched South Africa’s first Ecological Organic Agriculture Pollinator programme. The programme aims to support smallholder farmers to gain recognition for their organic practices and enables them to “pollinate” organic knowledge to support their local community of farmers in transitioning from the expensive, conventional, mono-cropping model.
The HOPE statue placed in the water where the Liesbeeck and Black Rivers converge, has become a much-loved and well-known sight for motorists travelling along the M5 highway near the N2 interchange.
The brainchild of Fred du Preez, an art director and self-proclaimed river man, this symbol of pollution-free rivers and oceans has recently received a brand-new floating base made of recycled polystyrene which has been mixed with a special cement aggregate
The long wait is over and two toad tunnels are finally being installed along Peninsula Road in Zeekoevlei to allow the endangered Western Leopard Toad to pass under and avoid being hit by cars. Elma shares more of the details...
Earth Day is just over a week away, and just like the Covid 19 pandemic, the environmental challenges we face are effecting us all - across the globe. This year the theme will be Restoring the Earth, and now is the time to focus on the future, because as the world slowly returns to normal, we can't just return to business as usual...something MUST change. Elma shares more...
Elma shares on some of the top stories making headlines on The Green Times. From the impact of Hake fishing on the other present marine life, more on World Frog Day and the plight of these amphibians, and also agreements signed by big business to partner with Operation Clean Sweep to 'Plastic Responsibly'.
One of the planet’s most pressing problems is the incorrect disposal of waste. With the majority of municipal solid waste coming from homes, Global Recycling Day on 18 March was a good time for consumers to take stock of their recycling habits – and of paper recycling in particular.
The Southern African Faith Communities’ Institute (SAFCEI) and faith community representatives from Africa recently made public its open letter to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. They are appealing to the Gates Foundation to reconsider its approach to “food security and food production” and to stop their push for “input-intensive crop” monoculture agriculture and industrial-scale farming in Africa.
Supported by government, industry and market stakeholders, the SA hake trawl fishery’s MSC status places it amongst the best managed fisheries in the world – helping to maintain its international market presence and deliver long-term socio-economic benefits to the South African people.
What a story of hope in the face of what is currently on the go in SA, and one to make us all proud. Elma shares more...
Sustainability does not only come from a product; it comes from the packaging as well. Waste reduction, recycling, upcycling and sustainably sourced material is becoming more of a priority for the lifestyle and fashion sectors.
Consumers are actively looking to support brands that take responsibility over their sustainability. Elma shares more on the story...
Conventionally grown cotton is one of the least sustainable crops on earth. A water thirsty crop, GMO cotton makes use of pesticides and insecticides in its production, which contaminate the soil, the air we breathe and the water we drink. So what are our alternatives?
Called “crop protection solutions” by producers, 67 agrichemicals which are banned in the EU remain legal in South Africa.
An article published in September this year exposed the double standards of the EU in which the region was found to export (and obviously profit from) the self-same pesticides that they deem too poisonous for use in their own fields.
Elma shares more of the scary details...
Despite living in different parts of South Africa, Simphiwe Makapela, Kylie Davids and Luvuyo Gushu each began their entrepreneurial journey with one common goal in mind – exploring opportunities to develop successful businesses in the water, biodiversity and environmental sectors. Elma shares more on the story that can be found online on The Green Times
By 2050, most people on Earth will live downstream of tens of thousands of large dams built in the 20th century, many of them already operating at or beyond their design life, according to a UN University analysis.
Elma shares more on the report...
The fate of one of Africa’s most valuable ecosystems may depend on results from wells being drilled deep into the bedrock beneath the Kalahari of northern Namibia and Botswana in the hunt for a petroleum reservoir.
For a distance of some 150km, Canadian company ReconAfrica’s oil and gas prospecting concessions border the Okavango River, a crucial source of water in a semi-arid area and the lifeline for one of Africa’s greatest concentrations of wild species in the Okavango Delta into which it discharges.
Elma shares the initiative she is involved in to serve medical staff in the Helderberg, and inspired us to do something from our side to make a difference
The industrial slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has not curbed record levels of greenhouse gases which are trapping heat in the atmosphere, increasing temperatures and driving more extreme weather, ice melt, sea-level rise and ocean acidification, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
Elma shares more on the hot topic...
For millennia, trees have provided mankind with fuel, food, fibre and medicine from their fruit, flowers, roots, wood, leaves and branches. In fact, many things we use daily are connected to wood. It's renewable, and with less paper being used, the tree pulp and more can be used for an incredible variety of things. A gift that keeps giving!
The Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism are pleased to announce the official launch of the three-year Municipal Energy Resilience (MER) Project to assist municipalities to take advantage of the new energy regulations, which may include purchasing energy directly from Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
Last week, environmental justice groups Earthlife Africa and groundWork, who have been challenging the Thabametsi power station in court since 2016, secured agreement from both Thabametsi and the state for the environmental authorisation issued for this power plant by the Department of Environment to be set aside. The first environmental authorisation for this plant was set aside by the Pretoria High Court in 2017 in South Africa’s first climate change court case.
Elma tells more on what she labels a good news story of HOPE that highlights the power of taking a stand...
Today, the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) joins a large-scale global cage-free campaign launched against Restaurant Brands International (RBI).
The campaign – led by a coalition of more than eighty (80) influential animal protection non-profit organizations worldwide – urges the company to source 100% cage-free eggs throughout their supply chains.
Elma shares more...
For many climate justice advocates, the trajectory of the Covid-19 pandemic is unsurprising, as it mirrors the very systems and structures that underpin the climate crisis. But how do we recover from this, in a just way, that benefits ALL? Elma shares more...
“Bioplastics” is a term that frequently arises in the media and public domain, and is often touted as the answer to the plastic pollution problem.
Unfortunately, the term is often incorrectly used to describe a few different concepts, which can create a lot of confusion in the marketplace.
Elma shares more on this...
Elma shares one of their headline stories again this week and we look at the latest developments coming from eThekwini - No more investments in fossil fuels, and the move to invest only in renewable energy. We've heard the same from the City of Cape Town before but no results have yet been noted. Elma explores the facts, shares the positive news and is realistic about the concerns.
Around 300 youth aged 18-35 in the Gauteng townships of Eersterust and Mamelodi are undergoing waste management training in a move aimed at creating greater awareness and employment opportunities in the recycling sector. These are exciting times. Elma shares more...
The powerful headline: 'We Don't Need Our Oceans', was run by the Ocean Impact Campaign underwriting a 3-year project driving advanced protection of South Africa’s oceans within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). We currently only protect 5% of the oceans around South Africa within MPAs. Elma reminds us of the gift that the Oceans are to us, what needs to be done and how we can do our part, no matter how small.
Seeds are one of the most remarkable miracles, where life bursts forth from the tiniest dormant organism. Humans have spent generations caring, saving and sharing seeds to ensure that there is enough diversity for both themselves and the natural world on which they depend.
Elma shares more on this headline story...
This latest round of load shedding comes as ten generation units at seven power stations have suffered breakdowns in the last 48 hours. These power interruptions are inconvenient, but they come at a massive cost to the economy. The only way for us to get through this all in the long term is to start being more energy efficient. The change around the world has already seem incredible results...now is the time to act!
Elma takes us through some of the Headline stories from The Green Times of the week past.
The 9th annual Eco-Logic Awards hosted by the Enviropaedia, will present its first ever virtual event on 21 September, which is also International Day of Peace. The awards highlight the eco-logically beneficial products, services and people who are taking effective action to protect and preserve our environment.
This week, Elma shares on the purpose of the Awards and we start to look at some of the individual finalists and what they did to get this acknowledgment.
The Belgian Ecolo-Groen (Eco-Green) parties have been quick to seize the moment to propose establishing the crime of ‘Ecocide” in Belgium and in the wider international community, following French president Emmanuel Macron’s recent statement in support of a crime of ecocide.
Proposals are being forwarded to the International Criminal Court, and the Pope and a number of world leaders are making their voices heard.
Elma shares more...
Under Lockdown Level 3, many sectors have been allowed to trade or operate to some degree, however, the tourism and leisure sectors have remained closed for months, impacting on thousands of jobs and with concomitant impacts on the fiscus and the wellbeing of millions of South Africans. Reopening local tourism may not contribute to securing employment for many, and to securing livelihoods in the most vulnerable households and regions. Elma shares this good news and what it can mean for us as the public who can now enjoy the beauty within our provinces...
Shifting solar training to be facilitated digitally was always on the cards. The current pandemic has however made this a reality. Elma shares on the way forward for those you want to employ and be employed in the area of renewable energy. SME's remain the way forward for SA.
Do you know the difference between sanitizing and disinfecting? Do you know what is in the hand sanitizers that you are being exposed to on a daily basis? Are their better alternatives that will do less harm to your skin? Lots of questions on this, and also all the answers you need, thanks to another top article by Elma Pollard and her team at The Green TImes.
Elma takes us through one of their headline stories at The Green Times: "Let’s raise our voices and demand a just recovery for all"
In July, the people that control the budgets of the world’s 20 richest countries – Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors – will meet to discuss how they will spend public money.
In the midst of a global health pandemic, where people have lost so much, will they opt for a ‘business as usual recovery’ and bail out industries that drive climate crisis and inequality – or will they spend money on what people need and want?
Elma shares on this powerful new story, featured on their Facebook page: "Why Even the Smallest Personal Actions Make a Difference in the Climate Fight"
PET bottle recycling benefits the environment while creating income:
Despite global market contractions, and now the rolling economic impact of Covid-19, South Africa’s PET plastic recycling value chain has kept its wheels turning, delivering another positive annual recycling rate while creating thousands of jobs for informal reclaimers who returned to work under level three of the national lockdown.
Elma shares more...
Kenyan tea farmers switching to renewable energy:
The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting many Kenyan communities, which depend on the tea sector, as the tea sector’s output and demand in tea is falling. However, an innovative Kenyan project running three years is continuing to create thousands of healthier homes, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, while reducing the demand for firewood which helps reduce deforestation.
With the 11th of June celebrated as LINX DAY, Elma chats with Brad about the protecting of large carnivores like lynx and their habitats being a key element of WWF’s New Deal for Nature and People, whose goal is to halt and reverse biodiversity and habitat loss by 2030.
After several decades of low numbers, the return of the lynx to the European forests is slow but steady.
Listen for more on this...
This week is celebrated as World Oceans Week across the world to remind the people about the importance of the role played by oceans in the lives of human beings.
The day is celebrated by United Nations to highlight the role of the oceans in everyday life and inspires action to protect the ocean and sustainably use marine resources.
Elma tells us more...
World Environment Day calls for an end to nature’s destruction. Read more at: http://thegreentimes.co.za/world-environment-day-calls-for-an-end-to-natures-destruction/